


The scales from their eyes

by smilodonna



Category: Hannibal Extended Universe - Fandom, King Arthur (2004)
Genre: F/M, First Kiss, Historical Inaccuracy, Kissing, M/M, Misunderstandings, Polyamory, Rough Kissing, but don't try to tell me the movie itself was historically accurate
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-10
Updated: 2018-02-10
Packaged: 2019-03-16 09:43:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,634
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13633731
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smilodonna/pseuds/smilodonna
Summary: Tristan is alone, Galahad isn't but wants to be with Tristan anyway. He doesn't show it but instead mocks Tristan and now he has to apologize.





	The scales from their eyes

**Author's Note:**

> There are quite a few stories of a self-confident Tristan and a shy, young Galahad. Which I like very much. But this time, I wanted Tristan to be the insecure one.  
> Remember that young woman who was shown sitting on Galahad's lap and another time on Gawain's? What if she actually was in a relationship with both of them, and what if Tristan was jealous because he didn't believe Galahad wanted to be with him, too?  
> I know the language doesn't fit the time in which the fic takes place... Well, English isn't my first language, and I kinda like a bit of swearing. *shrugs*

"So, if the two of you are going to live together - be sure I'm gonna stick around and disturb the domestic bliss on a regular basis." Galahad said and took another swig of beer. The knights were sitting in the tavern and talking, painting bright pictures of their future after the upcoming release from the Roman military.  
"I had no doubt." Gawain replied, grinning. "Guess we'll have to leave in a moonless night and find us a secret place somewhere in the woods to get rid of you."  
"Noo, we won't." Brenda drawled and leant over from Gawain's lap to pull Galahad in for a kiss. Some of the surrounding knights cheered while Gawain lent back, folded his hands behind his head and watched the two kissing. "Somehow I get the feeling I'm catching a glimpse of my future here." he said in mock disapproval.  
"Afraid Brenda choses me over you?" Galahad teased while said woman nuzzled at Gawain's chest once again. "Envy Tristan, then. He is lucky. Free of fears like that, not needing anyone, always self sufficient..."  
"Being alone certainly is the best option here." Tristan snapped and left abruptly, not paying any attention to the baffled stares he provoked.

An awkward silence fell on the knights. Gawain stared daggers at Galahad, who avoided everyone's gaze and looked at his beer as if it was the most interesting sight in the world.  
"Go already!" Gawain nudged him.  
"He said he wanted to be alone." Galahad mumbled into his beer.  
Brenda reached out and lifted his chin towards her. "That's not exactly what he said, and you know that. Yes, he may send you away again, yes, he may not accept your due apology, yes, he may not even let you find him now - but at least you gotta fucking try. Got it?"  
Galahad made a futile attempt at changing the subject by just pulling her closer and kissing her. She pushed him away. "Galahad. He's never been like this. You must have really hurt him, you know."  
"I didn't mean to!"  
"You did anyway. Don't be so damn stubborn."

Galahad was glad the other knights had picked up their conversation again, so only Brenda and Gawain could hear his whispered answer. "I'm not stubborn. I'm afraid."  
Gawain smiled at him. "I'd come with you and hold your hand but I got a feeling that this wouldn't help." he purred, then returned to a normal voice. "No seriously. I'll be there for you if you wanna talk later. Now go find your knight of the thin skin."  
"He's not..." Galahad began, then snorted at Gawain's wide grin and left without a further word.

He found Tristan in the stable, tending his horse. The scout didn't turn to look at his fellow knight, he just snippily asked "what?"  
Galahad cleared his throat. "I'm sorry I hurt you." he said hoarsely.  
Tristan lengthily took leave of the horse, then he turned around and walked towards Galahad. When he was abreast of him, he leant close, hissed "You didn't" and walked past him.  
Galahad stood rooted to the ground for a moment, then he spun around. He already had to run to catch up with Tristan.

The latter turned to face him again. "As it seems so important to you, tell me why you said that bullshit earlier." he demanded with a stone-cold voice.  
"Um. I guess I... I wanted to rattle you a bit. Make you admit you're lonely. I'm sorry." Galahad looked down, avoiding Tristan's judging gaze.  
"So what if I was? You get a kick out of that? To know that you got only half a woman, but at least there is someone doing worse? Huh?"  
"No!" Galahad cried out. "You misunderstood me completely. There's so many wrong assumptions I don't even know where to start to explain."  
"Then how about stopping assuming you know anything about me. At all. I'll try and return the favour." There was still ice in Tristan's voice, but Galahad had a sense of hearing it melting. But that again was an assumption.

Galahad sighed. "It's sad to think that we've been fighting side by side for so long and still don't know each other."  
"You want to change that?" Now Tristan's voice had definitely changed. Galahad looked up and met his dark eyes. He swallowed, and nodded. It was hard not to make assumptions now.  
Suddenly, Tristan turned and walked a few steps away. Then he started speaking again, softly and still with his back turned towards Galahad, so that the latter had to listen intently to understand the words.

"I lied. Of course you did hurt me. And you're gonna do it again. I'm strong, you know? No one is able to hurt me, no one. But you are."  
"Tristan." Galahad whispered and took a step towards him, then another. "I'm sorry..."  
Tristan turned around, half-smiling, and shook his head. "Are you sorry for your eyes brightening up every time Brenda approaches you? For laughing about Gawain's stupid jokes? For hugging Dagonet after that lost battle last year? For letting Vanora help you with your injured horse this spring? For every damned pretty barmaid's arse on your lap? For making connections and obviously being comfortable around so many people while you're always cold and cautious towards me? Guess I'm just weird and eerie. Never done a bad thing to you in fifteen years, but I still could, couldn't I? Yes, that's what hurts. And this has been lasting for so long it's hard for me to believe you want to know me now. But don't be sorry. I want you to be happy, Galahad."

At that, he turned and started to walk away again, but was stopped by Galahad crying out his name, rushing towards him and pulling him into his arms. They hugged each other as tight as they could until they had to loosen their grip and gasp for air.  
Galahad took a small step backwards, letting his hands slide down Tristan's arms and taking hold of his hands. He looked up into Tristan's face. "I had no idea." he said, amazement in his voice. "Yes, I was afraid you might hurt me, when all the while it was me hurting you. I'm so..."  
Tristan stopped his speech by leaning in and placing a soft kiss on his lips.  
Galahad raised a hand to caress Tristan's face and returned the kiss. The next moment he found himself pressed close to his fellow knight who kissed him with all the desire that had been bottled up for years. Galahad moaned around Tristan's tongue moving deep in his mouth and grabbed a good handful of the older knight's long hair. His other hand clasped Tristan's hip, which kept him from falling as he was pushed unceremoniously against the next wall.

Tristan stopped as Galahad's head met the wall with a thud. "Sorry." he panted, giving him a concerned look. "Did I hurt you?" Galahad just shook his head and pulled Tristan close again. The latter was relieved immediately and now started to kiss Galahad's neck, sucking and biting, while he grabbed his arse and rubbed against him. Galahad moaned and clung to Tristan's back under the shirt. But when Tristan suddenly dropped to his knees and started kissing his thighs, Galahad stopped him.  
"Wait, Tristan."

The answer was a growled "Do you know how long I have been waiting?" But the older knight stood up anyway. "What's the matter?" he asked in a more gentle voice.  
"We should not jump into this head first without talking about a few things before."  
Tristan took a step backwards and folded his arms. His face changed back into his usual inscrutable expression within the blink of an eye.  
Still, Galahad could see behind the curtain, see the fear there. It was as if he had learned a new language and could now understand words and whole stories where before there had been only gibberish. He could read Tristan's face and he wished he had been able to do so years earlier. He could have kept the now visible pain he knew he had caused from this man he loved. Yes, he loved Tristan, and he was as vulnerable as him in his love, as afraid of a rejection, still.

"I want you, Tristan. I think that's quite obvious now, at last. You just need to know that you can never keep me for yourself. No one can. There's room in my heart for quite a few people, and I won't kick anyone out - you have to decide if you can share. I want to be with you, but I won't leave Brenda for you. Nor Gawain."  
"Wait - Gawain? You and him are..." Tristan stared at Galahad's face, then started to chuckle, then finally burst out with laughter.  
"There I was, always envying Gawain, who could be comfortable being close to you as your brotherly friend - while I had to keep my distance so that desire wouldn't drive me mad. Because you were obviously only interested in women. How wrong I was."

He looked at Galahad fondly and slowly lifted a hand to play with his curls.  
"I have been jealous all the time of everyone you would even look at. Because you were giving them something you'd never give me. It hurt so much that you didn't seem to like me, and as a reaction I made it even harder for you to approach me at all. Glad you found your way to me at last in spite of all that. And I'm not jealous anymore. If I can finally be close to you, I don't care who else you're with. Just show me you really want me, part of me still can't believe it..."  
And Galahad showed him.


End file.
